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Thrissur, Mar 7: A local temple in Kerala is at the centre of a social media storm after the picture of a ''Brahmins-only toilet'' outside its main campus went viral on online platforms, prompting the management to remove the signboard.

The picture of three toilets, with signboards showing "Men", "Women" and "Brahmins", at the Kuttumukku Mahadeva Temple in Thrissur, has gone viral with many social media users viewing it as an unethical practise that can portray the progressive state in a bad light.

However, temple officials said the toilets were located outside the main campus and the board was brought to their notice only now.

Kannan, an official of the temple committee, said the board was placed nearly two decades ago and nobody raised any complaint against it so far.

"That particular toilet was being used by priests and other temple employees. We didn't even notice that board... As soon as we came to know about it, we removed it and affixed a staff-only board," he told PTI.

Also a CPI-M functionary and ward councillor, Kannan said the shrine and it's management was against all kinds of unethical customs.

The temple official said they were planning to pursue legal measures against the man who posted the photo of the toilets on social media.

"We suspect that he did it deliberately to create issues during the time of the festival and to tarnish the shrine's reputation. Not only that, the photo he shared was an old one though he claimed that it was taken during the time of the festival, " he said.

Bengaluru, Jul 18: Bringing a major change in the  administration of Bengaluru, which has emerged as a Covid-19 hotspot, the state government on Saturday transferred B H Anil Kumar out of the BBMP and brought N Manjunath Prasad to take his place. 

Manjunath Prasad, who headed the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) before being replaced by Kumar, will take over with immediate effect. The government has also placed him in concurrent charge of the Revenue Department as well as the Disaster Management, Bhoomi and UPOR.

Kumar, an Additional Chief Secretary, has been put in a place where earlier a secretary was posted. He now heads the Department of Public Enterprises. The posting would have brought him two spots down had it not been for the government upgrading it to the level of additional chief secretary. 

Anil Kumar, who was earlier praised for his work to contain the coronavirus pandemic, had faced criticism by the High Court of Karnataka for the BBMP's failure to help people in containment zones as well as other issues on the spread of the pandemic. 

Sources in the government said, pressure has been building up against Anil Kumar over the last two months after most of the Bengaluru MLAs complained to the chief minister's office.

"No MLA backed him. Everyone had a problem," a source said. 

Things came to the head with regard to a Rs 436 crore project given to KRIDL. "The issue reached the chief minister's office as all the MLAs took an issue with the way the project was awarded," a source said. 

Another source said that Kumar came under fire after a central team flagged the issue of failing Covid-19 surveillance measures in Bengaluru. The central team's criticism, it is widely believed in the government, came as the last straw. 

Mangaluru, May 4: As the coronavirus lockdown norms have been relaxed in the coastal district of Dakshina Kannada, people will be able venture out for essential activities from 7 a.m to 7 p.m.

The lockdown was imposed in the coastal district on March 22 midnight to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Initially it did not apply to essential services such as sale of food, groceries, milk, vegetables, fruits, and meat and fish. Gradually the administration had to intensify the lockdown and allow those shops to remain open between 7 a.m. and 12 noon. However, today (May 4) onwards there will be relaxation of lockdown between 7 am to 7 pm. 

Precautionary measures like maintaining social distancing has been urged and use of face masks has been made mandatory.

Permitted activities

• Permission for plying of auto-rickshaws, cabs, private vehicles and bikes has been given. However only three occupants, including the driver will be allowed and no pillion rule is applicable for two-wheelers.

• OPDs, medical clinics are permitted to operate.

• Standalone shops, shops located in neighbourhood colony, residential complex will be allowed to operate.

• Private organisations can function with 33% staff capacity while allowing work from home for rest of staff.

• E-commerce activities only for essential goods permitted.

• In site construction activities in urban areas, rural areas including MNREGA works.

• Permission is only available to open the shop in the market and in the market complex.

Prohibited activities:

• Movement of individuals is not permitted for all non-essential activities.

• Travel by air, rail and inter-State movement by road.

• Functioning of schools, colleges, and other educational and training/ coaching institutions.

• Hospitality services, including hotels and restaurants.

• Cinema halls, malls, gymnasiums, sports complexes, bars, clubs, swimming pool, entertainment parks, assembly halls, etc; barber shops, spas and salons, textile and apparel(clothes) shops.

• Social, political, cultural, academic, entertainment, religious and other kinds of gatherings; and, religious places/ places of worship for public. 

• Shops in urban and rural areas, for non-essential goods not allowed in malls, markets and Market Complexes.

• All types of traffic movements will be prohibited after evening (7 pm to 7 am)